Quảng Trị Province
| Quảng Trị | |
|---|---|
| — Province — | |
| Nickname(s): Serenity under Reign | |
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| Coordinates: 16°45′N 107°0′E / 16.75°N 107°ECoordinates: 16°45′N 107°0′E / 16.75°N 107°E | |
| Country |  Vietnam |
| Region | North Central Coast |
| Capital | Đông Hà |
| Government | |
| - People's Council Chair | |
| - People's Committee Chair | |
| Area | |
| - Total | 4,745.7 km2 (1,832.3 sq mi) |
| Population (2004) | |
| - Total | 616,600 |
| - Density | 129.9/km2 (336.5/sq mi) |
| Demographics | |
| - Ethnicities | Vietnamese, Bru – Vân Kiều, Hoa, Tà Ôi |
| Time zone | ICT (UTC+7) |
| Calling code | 53 |
| ISO 3166 code | VN-25 |
| Website | www.quangtri.gov.vn |
Quảng Trị (
pronunciation (help·info)) is a province on the North Central Coast of Vietnam, north of the former royal capital of Huế.
Contents |
[edit] Geography
Located in North Central Vietnam, Quang Tri Province is surrounded by Quang Binh Province on the north, Thua Thien-Hue Province on the south, Savannakhet Province of Laos on the west, and the East Sea on the east, with 75 kilometres (47 mi) of seaside. Except for the narrow piedmont coastal plains, the terrain is dominated by hills and the Annamite Mountains. The highlands, characterized by steep slopes, sharp crests, and narrow valleys, are covered mainly by a dense broadleaf evergreen forest. Most of the peaks are from 4,000 feet (1,200 m) to 7,000 feet (2,100 m) feet high, but some rise above 8,000 feet (2,400 m). The narrow coastal plains flanking the highlands on the east are compartmented by rocky headlands and consist of belts of sand dunes and, in areas where the soil is suitable, rice fields.
From the crests that mark the drainage divide in the highlands, streams flow either east towards the South China Sea or west into Laos or Cambodia. Those flowing eastward are swift and follow short courses through deep narrow valleys over rocky bottoms until they reach the coastal plains, where they slow down and disperse over silty and sandy bottoms. The westward flowing streams follow longer traces, sometimes through deep canyons, other times through poorly drained valleys that, like the coastal plains in the east, are subject to seasonal flooding. Its topography consists of mountains, hills, plains, sand dunes and beaches. The long coast and complex network of rivers includes the Ben Hai, Cam Lo, Quang Tri, and Thach Han rivers offering a good potential for hydroelectricity production and aquaculture. The weather features a wide range of temperatures and rainfall, with hot and dry south-west winds during the Southwest Monsoon (May through September), and much cooler wet weather during the rainy season (November to mid-March). Annual average temperature is 24 °C (75 °F), but temperatures can drop as low as 7 °C (45 °F) during the rainy season.
- Area
4,760.1 square kilometres (1,837.9 sq mi)
- Population
625,800 inhabitants (2006)
- Capital
Dong Ha Town.
- Administrative divisions
- Town: Quang Tri
- Districts: Vinh Linh, Gio Linh, Cam Lo, Trieu Phong, Hai Lang, Huong Hoa, Da Krong, Con Co.
[edit] History
In the immediate prehistorical period, the lowlands of Quang Tri and Central Vietnam as a whole were occupied by Cham peoples (Champa), speaking a Malayo-Polynesian language, and culturally distinct from the Vietnamese to the north along the Red River. The Qin conquered parts of present day Central Vietnam at the end of the 3rd century BCE, and administered the indigenous peoples of the area through a commandery, Rinan, for several centuries. A rebellion by the Cham in the 2nd century CE overthrew Chinese control and reestablished local government. 136[1] Beginning in the 14th and 15th centuries, the Chams were defeated in the area by Vietnamese armies, and ethnic Vietnamese gradually displaced or absorbed those Chams who had not fled. Over time a distinct Vietnamese dialectical and cultural subgroup developed in the area. The region was seized by the French by 1874 and became part of French Indochina in 1887 as the Annam protectorate.
Upon the division of Vietnam in 1954 into North and South, Quang Tri became the northernmost province of the Republic of Vietnam. Starting in 1964, the province gradually became a center for American bases, particularly after October 1966, when the 3rd Marine Division moved to bases just south of the demilitarized zone. In 1966, North Vietnamese forces also began occupying the northern region and pushing deeper into the province. The provincial capital, Quang Tri City, was overrun briefly by Communist troops in April, 1967, and was a principle battleground during the 1968 Tet Offensive when it was again overrun by North Vietnamese troops and held for a short period before being recaptured by South Vietnamese government and U.S. forces.[2][3] The well known Battle of Khe Sanh (1968) was a part of the North's steady efforts to occupy the whole of the province.
After Khe Sanh was evacuated in July 1968, the North Vietnamese continued their efforts to take the entire province. The most notable achievement of the North Vietnamese offensive in 1972 was capturing Quang Tri (First Battle of Quảng Trị), though they lost much of the territory gained during the South Vietnamese counteroffensive June through September, 1972 (Second Battle of Quang Tri). With South Vietnamese forces unable to hold the province during the final North Vietnamese offensive of the war (Ho Chi Minh Campaign), the entire province fell to North Vietnamese forces in March, 1975.
After Quang Tri fell, the North Vietnamese Provisional Revolutionary Government laid its authority over the province. Collective farms were set up and strict rules instilled by the Viet Cong were forced on the villagers, many of whom eventually fled. According to Gary D. Murfin, one of the lead writers to have done a survey on Vietnamese refugees after 1975, the province was an area of particularly dense Catholic concentration, many of whom were anti-communist. He estimated that 41% fled the area in fear of Viet Cong reprisals, 37% feared fighting, shelling, and bombing, and others fled because they were a family related to a Nationalist soldier, or were at one point landowners. Today, the province is largely agricultural and rural.
The provincial capital of Quang Tri is Dong Ha. Another notable town is Quang Tri, a new settlement built across the Thach Han River from the former provincial capital, Quang Tri City, which was destroyed during the war.
[edit] Aftermath of the war
Over three decades after the war ended, Quang Tri Province is still affected by explosive remnants of war (ERW) which has killed and injured over 7,000 people (1.2% of its total population) since 1975. Recently released was a final report of ERW and landmine contamination based on results of an impact assessment and rapid technical response project known as the Landmine Impact Survey (LIS), conducted by the Technology Centre for Bomb and Mine Disposal (BOMICEN) of the Ministry of Defense, and the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation (VVAF). The survey results indicated that out of six provinces in central Vietnam, Quang Tri Province has the highest levels of ERW contamination: approximately 83.8% of the total land area is affected by ERW. These and many other findings indicate that more than three decades after the war ended, ERW still remain a major threat to the safety of local people in their daily activities, and an obstacle to socio-economic development.
In 2000, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) paid the first visit to Quang Tri and in 2001, VVMF cooperated with Quang Tri Province People’s Committee (PPC) to embark on a comprehensive and integrated approach to address the problem of ERW. As a result, in August 2001, Project RENEW, Restoring the Environment and Neutralizing the Effects of the War - [4] was established. This effort harnesses the resources and good will of international NGOs and donors to bring skills and technology needed by the Vietnamese. The urgency and the dedication shown by the citizens of Quang Tri Province merit generous support from a concerned international community. Since its inception, Project RENEW has received positive appreciation from the local people, Vietnamese government authorities and the international Mine Action through an effective implementation of a combination of programs: Mine Risk Education, Mine Victims Assistance, Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) clearance teams, Information Coordination and Post-Clearance Support.
In 2000, Clear Path International (CPI) was still working to remove unexploded ordnance left by the United States in Quang Tri Province. This was at the time the largest unexploded ordnance removal effort by an NGO in Vietnam's history.[5] CPI continues to operate in Quang Tri, providing victim assistance to those injured by landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO).
In 2006, Mines Advisory Group (MAG) continues to operate in Quang Tri (and neighbouring Quang Binh) province, providing the only civilian staffed demining and UXO clearance operations in Vietnam.
[edit] Administrative divisions
Quảng Trị is divided into eight districts:
The city of Đông Hà and the town of Quảng Trị are also separate municipalities.
[edit] Non-Governmental Organizations
Currently, there are many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in Quang Tri. One of the biggest problems which they are focusing on is the explosive remnants of war (ERW). Below is the list of NGOs who are very active in helping Quang Tri Province to deal with this problem:
- Project RENEW "Restoring the Environment and Neutralizing the Effects of the War"
- Clear Path International (CPI)
- PeaceTrees Vietnam (PTVN)
- Mine Advisory Group (MAG)
[edit] Transportation
The National Road 1A runs north-south of this province. Vietnam-Laos road also runs west-east of this province and has a junction with national road 1A. Hanoi-Saigon Railway goes through Quang Tri. Quang Tri Airport will be built 7 km north of Dong Ha.
[edit] Etymology
The province's name derives from Sino-Vietnamese (Hán Tự:廣治).
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ de Crespigny, Rafe (1989): "SouthChina under the Later Han Dynasty."
- ^ http://www.history.army.mil/html/books/vietnam/tet_battles/tet.pdf
- ^ http://www.history.army.mil/books/Vietnam/northern/nprovinces-ch3.htm#quangtri
- ^ "PROJECT RENEW | Restoring the Environment and Neutralizing the Effects of the War". Landmines.org.vn. http://www.landmines.org.vn. Retrieved 2010-06-16.
- ^ http://www.cpi.org
- Murfin, Gary D., A. Terry Rambo, Le-Thi-Que, Why They Fled: Refugee Movement during the Spring 1975 Communist Offensive in South Vietnam Asian Survey, Vol. 16, No. 9. (Sep., 1976): 855–863
- Pearson, Lieutenant General Willard. The War in the Northern Provinces: 1966–1968, Washington D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, (1975).
- Schulzinger, Robert D. A Time for War: The United States and Vietnam, 1941–1975 (1997).
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